Article handling apparatus



Filed May ll, 1944V 3 Sheets-Sheet l A T TOPNEV Feb. 5, 1946. J. T. 4MULLER 2,394,467

ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed May l1, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FGZ A T TOPNEY Feb. 5, 1946. .1.r T. MULLER ARTI CLE HANDLING APPARATUS s sheets-sheet s Filed May 11, 1944 /NVENTO/- J. 7.' MULLER A TTORNEP Patented Feb. 5, 1946 ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUSVV John T. Muller, Livingston, N. J., assigner to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York,V N. Y.. a corporation of` New York Application May 11, 1944, Serial No.. 535,171?V 8 Claims.

This invention relates to article handling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for automatically soldering together two metal faced elements to form an article.

In certain electrical devices and apparatus recently developed an article of importance as a component is a relatively massive copper base having. a choquer of micro-crystalline silicon coated on one side Ithereof with nickel soldered at the nickel coated face on the copper base.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple, rugged and reliable apparatus primarily adapted for soldering such a metal faced choquer on a metal base member.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention maybe embodied in an apparatus for soldering and comprising a movable support, means thereon to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be soldered together with solder therebetween, a lever pivotable in the support into one position to clamp the elements thereon and into another position to release the same, means to press the lever yieldably from the releasing position toward the clamping position thereof, a cam carried onthe support to move the lever. from the clamping positionto the releasing` position, a lever on the cam to actuate the same, means to heat the elements to 'effect the soldering thereof, means to move the support into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, and a stationary cam to shift the cam'actuating lever to rfree the first named lever to move to clampthe elements on the support as the support'moves toward its position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof taken in connection4 with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are applied to identical parts in the several figures and in whichY Fig. 1 is a plan view of anY apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4`4 of Fig. 1; and'V Fig. 5 is a much enlarged detail of a portion of the showing of Fig. 2. I

The particular machine selected to be shown and described herein as an illustrative jembodiment of the invention is designed and arranged to effect the soldering together of a relatively large and massive -base III (Figs. 5 and 2) and a choquer I2 of silicon having a coating I I of nickel on the face to be solderedto the b'ase. The base l0Y comprises a cylindrical main body I4; an integral'threaded axial stem |51 with a transverse vplane end face on which the chequer |2 is to be soldered, and a cylindrical enlargement I6 around thebottom. 'Ihere is also a threaded axial bore I'Ientering the basefrom the bottom. The chequer i2 is a thin square lamina of microcrystalline silicon'which has been electroplated on one broad face with nickel asindicated-at I (in Fig. 5V only) The machine comprises a spider-like turntable f generally indicated .at I8 having va disk-like b'odyr i9 yandV a plurality (here six) of integralradial arms 20 thereon. 'The' table |'8 isv rigidly mounted on a vertical shaft 2| Vto be rotated thereby, this` shaft being suitably journalled and supported in an appropriate frame. The shaft 2| is driven by a gear 22 secured thereon, which is driven by a pinion 23 -keyed'on a shaft 24 journalled inthe machine frame. `A Geneva motion spider 25 isv also keyedto the shaft 2 4- to be driven by" a cam roller 26 mounted on an arm 21 keyed on'v ashaft" 28 whi'ch'also carries theV stop motionmember I3 of the Geneva drive. Theishaft 28is driven by a worm gear 28 thereon meshing with a worm 30 on'a shaft 3| which is' driven clockwise as seen inV Fig.v 2, by any suitable-powerl means' (not shown).

Each of the six radial arms 2Uy of the turntable |8 bears the same furnishing as any other..4 TheY outer.V end of the arm is at on top and provided with al verticali positioning pin 32 protruding above the flat top surface and formed to enter the-bore I1 of a base |'Il to position the same accu`v rately in a predetermined location on the arm 20." A block 33"rigidlysecured Aon the arm 20 beside but spaced from such a base c'arries an overhanging locating stud 34 positioned and formed to 1ocate -a chequer I2 resting on the dat top of the stem |5017 Va base IO'in position on the base coaxial with the stem and body ofthe base. A lever 35 is pivoted at 36 in a pedestal 31 formed onl theY table body I9, to swingvertically toward and from the top ofthe arm 20L with a longitudinal vertical slot 38 toA receive two clamping' screws' 39', 39` which serve to hold a lengthening Abar 4I) rigidly on thelever but adjustable'in'ward and outward along the lever. 0n the'outer end of the barllllis rigidly 'secureda massively heavy, combined'handle and clamping weight 4|'. A clamping pin 42is mounted to' be vertically coaxial in the handle 4| and, when in the positionofthe parts vshown in Fig. 5, to rest coaxially' on a chequer l2 resting-on a base` III,

The lever 35 -is'formed tion by a jam nut 44. A vertical bracket 45, rigidly mounted on the side of the arm 20 and extending upwardly pivotably supports a sho-rt transverse shaft 46 horizontally and transversely ifo above the arm 20. A cam block 41 is rigid on the shaft 46 and rotatable therewith to raise the lever 35 in the position of the cam block shown at the left of Fig. 2, or to allow the lever .35to' come down as shown at the right of the same figure. `The shaft 46 extends through the bracket 45 and is bent at right angles to form a lever arm 48 extending at right angles to the cam block 41; A `bracket 49 carries a fixed curved cam bar 56011A horizontal arms 5I. The bar 50 is so formed and Ipositioned that when one of the spider arms 2li-sweeps past, if the lever arm 48 is not vertical,

`the arm will be pressed down into depending verticality. Another fixed curved cam bar 52 is mounted on legs 53, 53 on the machine frame, and is so located and shaped that when one of the spider arms .20 sweeps past, the depending lever arm 48l on that spider arm is lifted outwardly until horizontal. The cam block 41 is so formed vthat when the arm 48 is horizontal, as at the left of Fig. 2, the block 41 and arm 48 are held yieldably in position by the bar 40 and weight 4|. The adjustable pin 43 is so located and is to be so adjusted` that the cam block 41 cannot turn to allow the arm 48 to swing inward, radially of the machine, `past its vertical position, as best shown at the right ,side of Fig. 2.

A' receiving chute 54 is supported at the left of the machine frame as shown and is provided with a spring arm 55 to remove completed work from the arms sweeping by. A heat projecting means 56, such as a Bunsen burner or oxyacetylene burner or the like, is also mounted on the machine frame as shown, as well as a nozzle 51 for compressed air.

TheGeneva motion ndrives the spider body I9 and ,its arm 20 one-sixth of a revolution at each revolution ofthe GenevaV drive arm 21. Any one arm of the spider therefor occupies each of the six,Y positions or stations in turnfindicated by A,

`C but not long enough to overheat.

2,394,467 .fi to each other to be soldered together. The turn.-

table advances another step, bringing the parts thus clamped into the flame of the burner 56 at the station C, where they remain for a time interval great enough to melt the solder flake between the base I0 and chequer I2. I'he speed of the shaft 3| is such that, for the apparatus as .disclosed, the stopped period of the .'table I9 eected by the member I3 between advances of thevtable is suicient to allow the burner 56 to effectsatisfactory soldering heat of the parts at the station step along of the table brings theparts to station D, .still .clamped together, and into the coolingl blast from the wair nozzlel 51. This is suicient to set the solder completely and finish the operation. As 'the assemblynext advances to the station E,

' the armv48 is raised by the cam bar 52l releasing the soldered parts; and while the spider arm 20 advances from the station E to the station F, theA nished soldered assembly is Lswept off the arm 2|) by the spring 55 and falls into the chute 5-4 to be delivered thereby into some receptacle (not shown). The arm 20 resting idly at station F cools further and sulciently, before advancing to the loading station at A to begin the vcycle of operations over again, to allow the attendant to place a new base I0, solder flake, and chequer I2 thereon without danger of being burned. d Given Vconstant speed at the shaft 3| and hence constant alternate periods Yof rest rand motion` of the shaft 24 as driven by the Geneva drive 25,

26, 21, I3, the number of rest periods in one revo.

i lution of the shaft 2| is dependent only upon the ratio of the teeth `in the gears'22 'and 23, While the time interval of any rest period is'dependent only upon the speed of the shaft 3|. `The B, C, D, E and F in Fig. 1. `At station A, the lever Y 48 is horizontally up and hence the cam 41 holds the lever 3,5 and bar 40 in the position shown at the left of Fig. 1. An attendant places a base member I0 in position onthe arm 20, located by entry of the pin 32 into the bore |1 of the base member, lays a flake of solder on the top surface of the stem |5 ofthe base, and lays a-silicon chequer I2, wet with liquid iiux, nickel coated side down, on the solder flake, and pushes the lever 48 down, bringing the pin 42 down on the chequer tov hold the'assembly together under the pressure of the weight 4 I.

The arm 20 is then stepped along by the drive to the position B. Nothing happens here unless the attendant has forgotten to turn the lever 48 down or is absent when the step along occurs. In such case the cam bar 50 turns the lever down to prevent jamming the machine at some later they are swept ol into the chute `54.

particular apparatusk disclosed Vis designed and proportioned to dealV with a particular' size of base I0, whose mass is such that the rest period f inthe air lblast atdstation D Vand the rest period at station F. arey sufficient to cool the soldered parts enough'to set the solder thoroughly before smaller base lil, Vfour positions might be 'suiilcient while for a largerV and more massive base IU, another air blast position and another position of rest in the 'airof thelroom might be desirable, making eight positions in all.A

Itwiu 'be ynoted that the machine'frame is' made in two sections', a.base.58 and a cover 59 separable along the line 3-3 of Fig.2'and se' cured together by bolts 6U.' Also, thetable |9`is Qremovably secured on the shaft 2| by screws 6|.

Hence the turntable as a 'unitcan be easily and vsimply removed from the Shaft to be replaced by another turntable having a larger or smaller number of radial arms 20, each equipped with the furnishings shown.v YWhen Vthe Vturntable .is-

removed, the cover..59 can be lifted vertically oil? after loosening` the bolts 60. The gears 22 and 23 are then free to be lifted off the shafts 2| and 24 Yto be replaced-by another -pair of the teeth ratio adapted to -provide a number of rest' periods in each revolution of the shaft 2| to cor-V respond to the numberbf' arms 20 on the new Y turntable to be placed ontheshaftZ I.

It is further to be noted that the cam blocks` 41 are all so shaped that, except as actuated man- Y ually or by one of the cam'bars 50 andrf52, .the A. pressure of the bar 40 on, the cam ,block` 41 re; Y tainsthe cam blockl andits lever yk48 YinV either lthe fposition illustrated at station `Abr stationfD.v Inany other position the weight o f* the Ylever- `48 The next d For aA asomar will swing ythese 'parts into. the positionV of statlon'D.

What is claimed is:

l. AnL apparatus. for soldering and comprising a movable, support, -means thereon to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be soldered together with. solder therebetween, a

lever pivotable on the support into one position: to. clamp the elements thereon and into anotherv position to release the same, means to vpress the leveryieldably from the releasing positiony toward the clamping position thereof, a cam car-4 ried on the support to move the lever from the clamping positionr to the releasingY position, a

lever on the. cam to. actuate ythe same, means to` heat the, elements to effect the soldering thereof, means tomove the support into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heatingmeans, and a stationary cam to shift the .cameactuating lever to free the first named lever to moveto clamp the elements on the supportras -thesupport moves towardits position of operative relation of the elements and the heating'means.

2. An apparatusfor soldering and comprising amovable support, means thereon to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be soldered. togethery with solder therebetween aV lever vertically pivotable on the support to move down into one position to .clamp the elements thereon andto moveupointo another position to release the same, a weight to press the lever yieldablyA from the releasing position toward the .clamping ate the same, means to heat the elements to effect the soldering thereof, means to move the support into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, and a stationary cam to shift the cam actuating lever to free the rst named lever to move down to clamp the elements on the support as the support moves toward its position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means.

3. An apparatus for soldering and comprising a horizontal spider on a rotatable vertical shaft, means on each arm of the spider to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be soldered together with solder therebetween, a lever on each spider arm pivotable vertically thereon into one position to clamp the elements thereon and to move up into another position to release the same, a weight on each lever to press the lever yieldably from the releasing position toward the clamping position thereof, a cam on each spider arm to lift the lever thereon from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, a lever on each cam to actuate the same, single stationary means to heat the elements to effect the soldering thereof, means to drive the shaft step by step to move the arms of the spider in succession into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, and a single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating levers in turn to free each iirst named lever to move down to clamp the elements on the support as the arm moves toward its position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means.

4. An apparatus for soldering and comprising a horizontal spider on a rotatable vertical shaft, means on each arm of the spider to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be soldered together with solder therebetween, a lever on: each spider .armv pivotable vertically thereon into one position to clamptheelernents thereon and tomove upinto another position to release the same, a weight'on. each lever tov press thev lever yieldably from the releasing positiontoward the clamping position thereof, a cam` on eachv spider arm. to lift the lever thereon from the clamping position'to the releasing position .thereof, a leveren each cam to actuate the same, single stationary means to heat the' elements to effect thesoldering thereof, single stationary means to removesoldered elements from. each spiderv arm in turn, means to drive the shaft stepby'step to move the arms of, the spider in succession into. and outof. a position offoperativerelation of theV elements and the heatingV means, a single `stationary cam toshift the cam. actuatinglevers in turn to free each rst'named lever to move down to dered together with solder therebetween, a lever on each spider arm pivotable vertically thereon into-.one position to clamp the elements thereon and to move up into another position to release the same, a weight on each lever to press the lever yieldably fromthereleasing position toward the clamping position thereof, a cam on each spider arm to lift the lever thereon from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, a lever on each cam to actuate the same, single stationary means to heat the elements to effect the soldering thereof, a Geneva motion to drive the shaft step by step to move the arms of the spider in succession into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, and a single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating lever in turn to free each rst named lever to move down to clamp the elements on the support as the arm moves toward its position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means.

6. An apparatus for soldering and comprising a horizontal spider on a rotatable vertical shaft, means on each arm of the spider to locate in accur-ate relative position two elements to be soldered together with solder therebetween, a lever on each spider arm pivotable vertically thereon into one position to clamp the elements thereon and to move up into another position to release the same, alweight on each lever to press the lever yieldably from the releasing position toward the clamping position thereof, a c-am on each spider arm to lift the lever thereon from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, a lever on each cam to actuate the same, single stationary means to heat the elements to effeet the soldering thereof, single stationary means to remove soldered elements from each spider arm in turn, a Geneva motion to drive the shaft step by step to move the arms of the spider in succession into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, a single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating levers in turn to free each first named lever to move down to clamp the elements on the support as the arm moves toward its position of op- .the armas the arm moves toward Vremoving means.

erative relation ofthe elements and the heating means, and a single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating lever to force the rst named leverl to move up to release the soldered elements on the yelement lever thereon from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, a lever on eachrcam to actuate the same, single stationary means to heat, a gear interchangeably mounted on the shaft, a Geneva motion, a pinion interchangeably mounted on the output shaft of the Geneva motion and meshing with the said gear to drive the rst named shaft step by step to move the arms of the spider in succession into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means, and a single stationary cam` to shift the cam actuating levers in turn to free each Arst named lever to move down to clamp the elements on the support as the arm moves toward Vits position of operative relation of the elements and the heating means.

`8. An apparatus for soldering and comprising Yate the same, single Vstationary means to heat,.

a vertical shaft, a horizontal spider interchangeably mounted on the shaft, means on each arm of the spider to locate in accurate relative position two elements to be. soldered together with solder therebetween; a leverV on each spider arm pivotable verticallyvthereon into one position toY clamp the elements thereon and to move upY into another position to release the same, a Weight on.-

each lever to press the lever yieldably from the releasing position toward the clamping position thereof, a cam'on veach spider arm to lift thev lever thereon from the clamping position to the releasing position thereof, a lever on each cam tov actusingle stationary means to remove. soldered elements from each spider arm in turn, a gearV interchangeably mounted on Athe shaft, a Geneva motion, a pinion interchangeably mounted on the Y output shaft of" theGeneva motion and meshing with the said gear to drive the first named shaft step by step to move the arms of the spider in succession into and out of a position of operative relation of the elements and the heating` means, a

single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating levers in turn to free each first named leverlto move down to clamp the elements on the support as the arm moves toward its position of operative i relation-of the elements and the heating means, and a single stationary cam to shift the cam actuating lever to force the first named leverto-i move up to release the soldered elements on the arm as the arm moves toward the element removing means. v Y

JOHN T. MULLER.` 

